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Dead flat finish

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  • Member since
    March 2012
Dead flat finish
Posted by Dioramist on Monday, March 5, 2012 1:48 PM

Hello Everyone!

This post originally appeared in the Figures section, but I was advised to post it here as well.

I've been struggling with getting my "flat" paint to really be flat. I am painting a figure and have sprayed on Testor's Model Master Acryl (dark blue) and over-coating with their clear flat. I diluted it about half with water and built up three coats gradually, yet the clothing is still semigloss (well, more like eggshell, but still not flat). I tried overspraying with Mister Paint's clear flat (thinned with their thinner), same result. I also tried Testor's dullcoat lacquer (thinned with lacquer thinner), same result. Oddly, the Mister Color flat worked fine on the face and hair, just not the clothing, where it really matters that there is no sheen. Has this happened to anyone else, and if so, how did you solve the problem?

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Tuesday, March 6, 2012 9:28 AM

In order for it to come out dead flat it is necessary for it to go on very thin- so thin it is hard to do with a spray can.  You need to use a greater than normal distance, so it goes on dry, as well.  But that makes it very susceptible to orange peel.  I would hand brush last coat, and use a very dry brush.  Testors old dullcoat would be very flat even with a wet coat, but the newer stuff is not as good.

Are you priming?  I find I can get a better dull coat with a thin coat of color over a really flat primer like Krylon.

I often dry brush by hand, and such a thin coat also reduces saturation (most paints out of bottle are too saturated to simulate cloth well (at least any cloth but spandex or nylon).

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    March 2012
Posted by Dioramist on Tuesday, March 6, 2012 12:23 PM

Hi Don,

Thank you for the gradual misting approach advice! It, coupled with thinning the Acryl with isopropanol instead of water did the trick. The wool in the uniform now looks like wool, not spandex. Thank you once again!

-Paul Pallansch

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